US9462888B2ActiveUtilityA1

Control assembly for chair

96
Assignee: STEELCASE INCPriority: Sep 20, 2012Filed: Feb 27, 2015Granted: Oct 11, 2016
Est. expirySep 20, 2032(~6.2 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Robert J. BatteyTodd T. AndresGary Lee KarstenKurt R. Heidmann
A47C 5/12A47C 7/14A47C 7/006A47C 3/30A47C 7/022A47C 7/443A47C 7/441Y10T29/49947A47C 1/024Y10T29/49826Y10T29/481B68G 7/12A47C 7/40A47C 1/03261A47C 31/02A47C 7/004A47C 7/46A47C 1/032A47C 1/03A47C 1/14A47C 1/03255A47C 7/24A47C 5/00A47C 7/54A47C 7/185A47C 7/462A47C 1/03272A47C 1/03266A47C 31/023A47C 1/0307A47C 7/44A47C 1/0308A47C 1/03274A47C 3/20A47C 7/029
96
PatentIndex Score
12
Cited by
474
References
32
Claims

Abstract

A control assembly for a chair includes a base structure having a first pivot point and a second pivot point spaced from the first pivot point, a seat support structure having a forward portion pivotably coupled to the base structure for rotation about the first pivot point, a back support structure having a forward portion pivotably coupled to the base structure for rotation about the second pivot point, wherein the back support structure is adapted to move between upright and reclined positions, and wherein the seat support structure reclines rearwardly as the back support structure moves from the upright to reclined positions, and a control link having a first end pivotably coupled to a rearward portion of the seat support structure for rotation about a third pivot point, and a second end pivotably coupled to a rearward portion of the back support structure for rotation about a fourth pivot point.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A control assembly for a chair, comprising:
 a base structure defining a first pivot point and a second pivot point spaced from the first pivot point, wherein the base structure is adapted to attach to a ground-abutting base support structure; 
 a seat support structure having a forward portion pivotably coupled to the base structure for rotation about the first pivot point and a rearward portion located rearward of the forward portion, and wherein the seat support structure is adapted to support a seated user; 
 a back support structure having a forward portion pivotably coupled to the base structure for rotation about the second pivot point and a rearward portion located rearwardly of the forward portion, wherein the back support structure is adapted to move between an upright position and a reclined position, and wherein the seat support structure reclines rearwardly as the back support structure moves from the upright position to the reclined position; and 
 a control link having a first end pivotably coupled to the rearward portion of the seat support structure for rotation about a third pivot point, and a second end pivotably coupled to the rearward portion of the back support structure for rotation about a fourth pivot point. 
 
     
     
       2. The control assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the third pivot point is located at a greater vertical height than the second pivot point. 
     
     
       3. The control assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the third pivot point is located at a greater vertical height than the fourth pivot point when the back support structure is in the first position. 
     
     
       4. The control assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the third pivot point is located at a greater vertical height than the fourth pivot point when the back support structure is in the second position. 
     
     
       5. The control assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a distance between the first pivot point and the second pivot point is greater than a distance between the third pivot point and the fourth pivot point. 
     
     
       6. The control assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one biasing assembly exerting a biasing force that biases the back support structure from the second position towards the first position. 
 
     
     
       7. The control assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the biasing force biases the third pivot point towards the second pivot point. 
     
     
       8. The control assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first pivot point is at a greater vertical height than the second pivot point. 
     
     
       9. A control assembly for a chair, comprising:
 a base structure defining a first pivot point and a second pivot point spaced from the first pivot point, wherein the base structure is adapted to attach to a ground-abutting base support structure; 
 a seat support structure having a forward portion pivotably coupled to the base structure for rotation about the first pivot point and a rearward portion located rearward of the forward portion, and wherein the seat support structure is adapted to support a seated user; 
 a back support structure having a forward portion pivotably coupled to the base structure for rotation about the second pivot point and a rearward portion located rearwardly of the forward portion, wherein the back support structure is adapted to move between a first position and a second position; and 
 a control link having a first end pivotably coupled to the rearward portion of the seat support structure for rotation about a third pivot point, and a second end pivotably coupled to the rearward portion of the back support structure for rotation about a fourth pivot point, wherein the fourth pivot point is at a greater vertical height than the second pivot point. 
 
     
     
       10. The control assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the third pivot point is located at a greater vertical height than the second pivot point. 
     
     
       11. The control assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the third pivot point is located at a greater vertical height than the fourth pivot point when the back support structure is in the first position. 
     
     
       12. The control assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the third pivot point is located at a greater vertical height than the fourth pivot point when the back support structure is in the second position. 
     
     
       13. The control assembly of  claim 9 , wherein a distance between the first pivot point and the second pivot point is greater than a distance between the third pivot point and the fourth pivot point. 
     
     
       14. The control assembly of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 at least one biasing assembly exerting a biasing force that biases the back support structure from the second position towards the first position. 
 
     
     
       15. The control assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the biasing force biases the third pivot point towards the second pivot point. 
     
     
       16. The control assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the first pivot point is at a greater vertical height than the second pivot point. 
     
     
       17. A control assembly for a chair, comprising:
 a base structure defining a first pivot point and a second pivot point spaced from the first pivot point, wherein the base structure is adapted to attach to a ground-abutting base support structure; 
 a seat support structure having a forward portion pivotably coupled to the base structure for rotation about the first pivot point and a rearward portion located rearward of the forward portion, and wherein the seat support structure is adapted to support a seated user; 
 a back support structure having a forward portion pivotably coupled to the base structure for rotation about the second pivot point and a rearward portion located rearwardly of the forward portion, wherein the back support structure is adapted to move between a first position and a second position; and 
 a control link having a first end pivotably coupled to the rearward portion of the seat support structure for rotation about a third pivot point, and a second end pivotably coupled to the rearward portion of the back support structure for rotation about a fourth pivot point, wherein the third pivot point is rearward of the second pivot point. 
 
     
     
       18. The control assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the third pivot point is located at a greater vertical height than the second pivot point. 
     
     
       19. The control assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the third pivot point is located at a greater vertical height than the fourth pivot point when the back support structure is in the first position. 
     
     
       20. The control assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the third pivot point is located at a greater vertical height than the fourth pivot point when the back support structure is in the second position. 
     
     
       21. The control assembly of  claim 17 , wherein a distance between the first pivot point and the second pivot point is greater than a distance between the third pivot point and the fourth pivot point. 
     
     
       22. The control assembly of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 at least one biasing assembly exerting a biasing force that biases the back support structure from the second position towards the first position. 
 
     
     
       23. The control assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the biasing force biases the third pivot point towards the second pivot point. 
     
     
       24. The control assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the first pivot point is located at a greater vertical height than the second pivot point. 
     
     
       25. A control assembly for a chair, comprising:
 a base structure defining a first pivot point and a second pivot point spaced from the first pivot point, wherein the base structure is adapted to attach to a ground-abutting base support structure; 
 a seat support structure having a forward portion pivotably coupled to the base structure for rotation about the first pivot point and a rearward portion located rearward of the forward portion, and wherein the seat support structure is adapted to support a seated user; 
 a back support structure having a forward portion pivotably coupled to the base structure for rotation about the second pivot point and a rearward portion located rearwardly of the forward portion, wherein the back support structure is adapted to move between a first position and a second position; and 
 a control link having a first end pivotably coupled to the rearward portion of the seat support structure for rotation about a third pivot point, and a second end pivotably coupled to the rearward portion of the back support structure for rotation about a fourth pivot point, wherein the fourth pivot point is located rearwardly of the second pivot point. 
 
     
     
       26. The control assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the third pivot point is located at a greater vertical height than the second pivot point. 
     
     
       27. The control assembly of  claim 26 , wherein the third pivot point is located at a greater vertical height than the fourth pivot point when the back support structure is in the first position. 
     
     
       28. The control assembly of  claim 26 , wherein the third pivot point is located at a greater vertical height than the fourth pivot point when the back support structure is in the second position. 
     
     
       29. The control assembly of  claim 25 , wherein a distance between the first pivot point and the second pivot point is greater than a distance between the third pivot point and the fourth pivot point. 
     
     
       30. The control assembly of  claim 25 , further comprising:
 at least one biasing assembly exerting a biasing force that biases the back support structure from the second position towards the first position. 
 
     
     
       31. The control assembly of  claim 30 , wherein the biasing force biases the third pivot point towards the second pivot point. 
     
     
       32. The control assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the first pivot point is located at a greater vertical height than the second pivot point.

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